Amidst swirling investigations into his alleged underage sex trafficking, Matt Gaetz has found an unlikely defense: the past doesn’t matter. According to Gaetz’s allies, yesterday’s actions should be forgiven because they don’t count in today’s political landscape. Critics, however, question the logic of absolving past behavior, asking if Gaetz’s actions will be deemed meaningless tomorrow as well. This novel defense has drawn comparisons to George Orwell’s “1984,” where the concept of “unperson” allowed the erasure of historical figures from existence. As Gaetz faces scrutiny, the question remains: if the past can be so easily dismissed, what becomes of accountability?